


someone says

by lancenoble



Category: Friends at the Table (Podcast)
Genre: Autistic Echo, Gen, Overstimulation, Stimming, gig/echo if you squint, grand and even are also there, selectively mute/nonverbal character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-03
Updated: 2019-04-03
Packaged: 2020-01-01 11:28:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,313
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18334160
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lancenoble/pseuds/lancenoble
Summary: Echo Reverie has a bad day. (selectively mute may not be the exact right thing to call it, but close enough?)





	someone says

**Author's Note:**

> ok so basically this is something i deal with when i get overstimulated over a long period of time so i'm projecting it onto echo bc i think they'd relate and also gig is there bc he's good and i'm gay and that's something i also think echo would relate to. i'm autistic and so echo is autistic (and also probably other stuff too but this is specifically an autism feel for me!!). i wrote this in like two hours and titles are fake, actually

It's been a long day. The group had come down from the winding plateau that morning and are now making their way across a wide swath of grassy fields. Insects chirp and fly around their faces, and though Quire is beautiful, it's hot. Worse, it's humid. 

Echo left their jacket on top of the node early in the day and has been scouting up in front of the group since. While the heat mounts, they have short conversations over comms with Even and as a result, end up listening to Gig and Grand have an exhausting… argument? Dialogue? They don't even know anymore, but those two talk entirely too much and it would be manageable, even entertaining if it weren't for them constantly trying to involve Echo in their incomprehensible roundabouts. The comm goes off for what feels like the hundredth time that hour and they're about ready to dropkick the thing into the brush and run for it just to get some peace and goddamn quiet for a minute.

"Listen," Grand is saying, "Some people are just going to be predisposed to deal with werewolf transformations."

"But that's not how that  _ works _ ," Gig shoots back. "Anyone can become a werewolf."

"That's not what I mean, though. I'm saying the monthly transformation would probably be easier for some people?"

" _ What _ people?"

"I don't know, like if you're hairier or something—"

"Echo, do you agree with this bullshit?"

"It is  _ not _ bullshit—"

"It is bullshit because neither of you are right because werewolves aren't  _ real, _ " they grit out. It's the most they've given the duo in the entire half hour they've been talking about werewolf transformations. "If either of you have something  _ actually important _ to tell me, let Even know and  _ he _ can tell me."

Gig laughs. "Are you saying you don't think this is—" 

Echo turns off the comm unit. An unpleasant tightness is coming in around their throat and they let out a whine. They rub at their neck as if that'll do anything, and they really can't deal with the rest of the group questioning their more active methods of stimming, considering this feels like one of  _ those _  days where talking would just push them over the edge. Maybe they can't stand the heat, or maybe it's the inane conversations, or maybe it's seeing the vast expanse of field they still have to traverse and counting the hours left before the sun sets behind them or any one of the myriad of little things that are now starting to prick at their skin that's pushed them this far towards shutdown territory, but they know it's all of it together. But, they know they need to keep moving or else the rest of the day will be wasted. 

Plus, moving helps. They can't run like their limbs are itching for, but they pick up the pace regardless. They pull down their hair and tie it up in a ponytail, then take it down again and tie it up in a bun. It's better, but the tightness at their throat still pulls their mouth closed. They keep the comm unit off.

 

Echo is still keyed up by the time the sun has disappeared behind the plateau, the sky before them now a dusky purple. They scope out an area flat enough for camping and ping Even with their location. They bite their lip and wait for the others with their arms crossed, watching the sunset. They only stand still for a moment before they have to physically unclench their jaw and start pacing around an easy perimeter. 

Even waves at them as he approaches, Gig and Grand and the node in tow. Echo doesn't say anything, can't really, but no one questions it when they offload their tents from their pack on the node's cart and start setting them up in silence. 

"Echo," Even calls out to them, and they look up from where they're struggling with the folding poles. "Are you good to take first watch with Gig?"

They only nod in response, and Even nods back, but squints at them a little. "Okay. Be sure to get yourself some water. We walked a lot today."

Another nod, and Even is seemingly satisfied. 

 

Later, after they finished setting up camp and after dinner and after Grand and Even retire to their tents before their watch, Gig and Echo sit up together in the dark. 

Echo is in the process of running their fingers through their hair— both to distract themself from focusing continued tightness in their jaw as a stim, and to untangle the knots from the haphazard bun. They're also watching the horizon, and they say nothing.

Gig is going over his footage from the day, his eye projecting sped up clips he does something inscrutable to, and then rewinds over and over again. His and Grand's voices are tinny and distant, but Echo is sitting close enough that they can hear their earlier snap at them, and they wince. 

"Were we really that annoying?" Gig asks. He doesn't seem upset by it, but he is quiet. Echo nods.

"Sorry. We just got like, super into it you know?" They do. For all their earlier annoyance with Gig (and Grand), they do feel bad for being so short with them. Gig frowns and the projection shuts down with a small pop. "But um... you've been really quiet all night and that's cool, I know you're not big on like storytelling or anything, but it's been way more quiet than usual and uh. You good?"

Echo tries, they really do— but they open their mouth and cannot bring themself to do anything with it. The words still just aren't coming and they groan. They rub their palms into their eyes and shake their head. 

"Oh. Yeah, no, I get you," he says. He bumps his shoulder against theirs, so they can look up at him. When did he get so close? "How often does this happen to you?"

Echo gives him a _look_  and he grimaces. "Sorry, it just happens to me too sometimes. Yes or no questions only, then. Yes or no, yes or no, uh… does this happen a lot?"

They sigh, but it's thoughtful, not disappointed. They're actually pretty impressed that Gig is trying to work with their current lack of a voice. They can't help it— they lean heavy into Gig's shoulder against theirs, and wiggle their hand, ambivalent. 

"Sometimes, then. Okay, okay," he says. He rocks a little bit, but doesn't move away from Echo. "Do you sign? Do you want to?"

A nod and a shake. 

"So no talking. On your end at least, but uh. Is— is it okay if I don't either?"

Echo gives him another look, confused. They raise an eyebrow.

"I— it's hard  for me to turn off unless I'm  _ turned _ off." He gestures at the back of his head. "The suppressor helps in some ways but it's… I don't know how to explain it. It's not perfect."

Echo shrugs and nods. With that, he flops down onto the grass and makes Echo jump. He giggles out an apology. He  has his hands behind his head and a grin on his face that is nowhere near as bright as the one he puts on for the camera, but no less genuine. "But that's not important right now. You sure you're okay to stay up to watch?"

Echo stares for a second, then lies down next to him. They tap their ear, and Gig nods. 

"Gotcha."

Echo lies on their side to keep looking out over the horizon, with their back to Gig. After a moment's silence, filled with nothing but chirping insects and distant bird calls, they shuffle backwards and press up against Gig's side. They feel his surprised laugh against their back, and they smile for the first time all day. 


End file.
